Premix Burner Flow Distribution for Stable Ionization Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing premix burners in domestic boilers face issues with thermal stress and mechanical breakage due to thermal gradients, leading to unstable operation and increased emissions when the air-fuel ratio is dynamically adjusted, and require expensive materials like metal meshes that form gas pockets.

Innovation Solution

A premix burner design with an internal distributor separated from the outer casing by an air gap, featuring localized high flow rate regions for flame detection, and a geometric configuration of openings to enhance mixture distribution and reduce thermal stress, eliminating the need for expensive metal meshes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the intensity of flames is increased to improve ionization signal detection sensitivity, then the detection sensitivity is improved, but thermal gradients are intensified causing mechanical breakage and reducing reliability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveionization signal detection sensitivityVSAvoidburner reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The distributor is provided with a detection portion having a specific geometric configuration that creates a localized zone of enhanced mixture flow and flame intensity. This local quality enhancement concentrates the ionization signal in a specific region, improving detection sensitivity without requiring overall flame intensity increase that would cause thermal gradients and mechanical breakage across the entire burner surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The distributor surface is segmented into a detection portion and other portions, where the detection portion has a specific geometric configuration optimized for ionization signal generation. This segmentation allows the detection function to be localized, enabling sensitive ionization detection in a controlled zone while maintaining thermal balance across the rest of the burner surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If expensive metal mesh coatings are used to reduce thermal stresses, then thermal stress resistance is improved, but gas pockets form between the coating and support reducing stability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal stress resistanceVSAvoidburner stability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the metal mesh coating from the burner design entirely. Instead of using a coating that requires expensive materials and creates gas pockets, the solution extracts this problematic element and replaces it with a geometric configuration of the distributor that achieves thermal stress resistance through shape and flow distribution rather than protective coatings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces expensive metal mesh coatings with a simple geometric configuration of the distributor that can be manufactured from常规 materials. This substitution eliminates the need for costly alloys while maintaining functional performance, effectively using a simpler, more economical solution instead of expensive protective coatings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Productivity

If the air-gas ratio is dynamically adjusted to maintain optimal combustion efficiency, then combustion efficiency is improved, but thermal gradients are produced causing mechanical breakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion efficiencyVSAvoidmechanical strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The detection portion with its specific geometric configuration creates a localized zone where mixture flow and flame characteristics are enhanced. This local optimization allows for sensitive ionization detection that enables precise dynamic adjustment of the air-gas ratio, maintaining combustion efficiency while the localized nature of the enhancement prevents widespread thermal gradients that would cause mechanical breakage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The burner achieves stable and reliable ionization signal detection, reduces thermal stress, prevents mechanical breakage, and maintains consistent operation across varying thermal loads, while avoiding gas pockets and backfire phenomena.

Implementation Method 1

a distributor (2) located inside the outer casing (3) and provided with openings, called flow openings (23), disposed on a surface opposite the outer casing, called distribution surface (21)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Implementation Method 2

The distribution zone (210) and the flame zone (310) are disposed opposite each other with an air gap (300) in between

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 3

flames develop during combustion of the mixture... a detection electrode (5), disposed outside the flame zone (310) of the outer casing (3)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIonization: Ionisation

Implementation Method 4

The flow openings (23) on the distribution surface (21) of the distributor (2) are geometrically configured in such a way that the ratio between the specific flow rate of mixture in a first region, called detection portion (200), is greater than the specific flow rate in the rest (201, 202) of the distribution zone (210)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow distribution:

Data Source

PatentEP4450870B1Premix burner
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 POLIDORO
  • EP4450870B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4450870B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4450870B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Premix burner (100) provided with a perforated outer body (3) and with a distributor (2) located inside the body (3) and provided with openings (23, 26) that allow the passage of a mixture of fuel and oxidizer towards the outer surface (31) of the casing (3) on which the flames develop during combustion. The distributor (2) and the outer casing (3) are separated by an air gap of non-zero thickness; the surface (21) of the distributor (2) has a region (200) in which the openings (26) ensure a greater volumetric flow rate of mixture than on the rest of the distributor. The burner comprises spacing elements disposed in the air gap between the internal distributor (2) and the outer casing (3).